# Cottonseed meal vs soybean meal spread Cottonseed meal versus Soybean meal: the raw $/ton spread, on a dry-matter basis, and on cost per pound of protein and energy _Data through Aug 24, 2026 · source last checked Sep 3, 2026 · page revised Sep 3, 2026_ > Cottonseed meal is $58/ton under Soybean meal on a raw as-fed basis, but on the nutrient that matters here Cottonseed meal is the cheaper source of a pound of crude protein this week. A price screen, not a feeding recommendation. Cottonseed meal is the cheaper source of crude protein this week at $0.365 per pound, versus $0.376 for soybean meal. On a raw as-fed basis, cottonseed meal prices $58/ton under soybean meal. On energy, cottonseed meal costs $0.231 per pound of TDN versus $0.245 for soybean meal. ## The numbers | Measure | Cottonseed meal | Soybean meal | Difference (Cottonseed meal − Soybean meal) | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Price, $/ton as-fed | $300 | $358 | -$58 | | Price, $/ton dry matter | $333 | $402 | -$69 | | Cost per lb crude protein | $0.365 | $0.376 | -$0.011 | | Cost per lb TDN (energy) | $0.231 | $0.245 | -$0.014 | ## About Cottonseed meal vs soybean meal spread A raw $/ton spread is the starting point, not the answer. Two feeds at the same $/ton can deliver very different amounts of protein and energy per ton of dry matter, so the table above also shows each feed on a dry-matter basis and as a cost per pound of crude protein and per pound of TDN, the same math the nutrient-cost screening board runs. Basis: both are quoted fob plant, so the raw $/ton gap is a like-for-like comparison before freight. **Nutritional limits.** Cottonseed meal substitutes for soybean meal protein in mature ruminants but not freely: its free gossypol makes it risky for swine, poultry and young calves. [Oklahoma State University Extension](https://extension.okstate.edu/fact-sheets/gossypol-toxicity-in-livestock) documents gossypol toxicosis from overfeeding. Its lysine is also lower than soybean meal's. This is a price screen on one or two nutrients, not a feeding recommendation: inclusion rates, amino-acid balance, effective fiber and palatability are the nutritionist's call, not a price table's. ## About this data - Source: Derived from USDA AMS feedstuffs board prices - Series: Cottonseed meal vs soybean meal - Basis: Two feeds differenced, as-fed $/ton - Geography: National - Unit: $/ton - Calculation period: Weekly - Last observation: Aug 24, 2026 - Update frequency: Weekly --- Cite: Cottonseed meal vs soybean meal is n/a on a $/ton as-fed basis as of Aug 24, 2026 (USDA feedstuffs board). The Ration. https://the-ration.com/spread/cottonseed-meal-vs-soybean-meal Canonical URL: https://the-ration.com/spread/cottonseed-meal-vs-soybean-meal